SouthFlorida.com | City Link Magazine

Any hip-hop head worth his chain is familiar with at least a few South Florida artists -- certainly Trick Daddy, Pitbull and Uncle Luke. People who are deep in the scene likely picked up DJ Khaled's 2006 CD, Listennn: The Album. But anyone who doesn't follow the ebbs and flows of local hip-hop with the obsessive care of a hand-washing Howie Mandel may not know who's hot and who's not. So we've put together the following list of 10 South Florida artists who, we believe, are ready to pop. Get with them this Memorial Day weekend in Miami Beach and elsewhere, prove your love early and then, enjoy being a part of the entourage when they're richer than God. We've put them in alphabetical order so as not to play favorites. That way, we can expect our invite to the champagne room from all 10.

Fillup Banks: The impresario who runs online hip-hop magazine 305hiphop.com is also a rapper and producer in his own right. Songs on his Web site feature guest performances by a horde of Miami's finest, including Pitbull, DJ Khaled, Rick Ross, Trina � The list goes on. Visit Fillupbanks.com.

Brimstone127: Miami-based Brimstone127 is the most interesting thing to hit the South Florida rap scene since Pitbull blew up and folks north of here gasped, "Wha? Latinos can rap?!" The man's r�sum� is undeniable: a producer for the likes of Matisyahu and KRS-One; an engineer on albums by Nelly Furtado, Fat Joe and many others; an erstwhile graffiti artist and b-boy; and an MC with positive, conscious lyrics in a rap landscape that all too often focuses on bitches and bling. Earlier this year, Brimstone followed up his 2003 debut, Metamorphises, with Elevator Music. Visit Brimstone127.com.

Butta Verses: Another local rapper with an eagerly anticipated album on the way, Butta Verses first gained fame with his appearance on De La Soul's 2004 release, The Grind Date; the last time De La took such an interest in an up-and-coming MC, it was some guy named Mos Def. Maybe you've heard of him. In any case, newly released from Bear Mountain Entertainment, the label run by De La Soul's DJ Maseo, Butta will issue his CD Six Minutes to Ten later this year. Visit Buttaverses.com.

Dade Fire Entertainment: This rap collective includes local would-be stars like G-Know, A. Fury, Ca$hdro and, perhaps most significantly, Colosus, a lightning-fast MC who bills himself as "The Future King of Florida." Points for the healthy ego, a must in this business, but Colosus backs up his boasts on the mike, and the talents of Dade Fire's other MCs reveal Colosus isn't the only bullet in the chamber. Visit Dadefire.com.

Garcia: With his memorable 2004 album, Anti-Social, released under the auspices of Crazy Hood Productions -- a company run by DJ EFN, the Mix Tape King of Miami -- Garcia began a buzzworthy career that continues to this day. The rapper has appeared on Miami Ink and MTV's My Block, and was the spokesman for the erstwhile TV network UPN's urban-marketing campaign in South Florida. Visit Crazyhood.com.

�Mayday!: Good things are happening for this Miami-based group. �Mayday!'s self-titled 2006 CD featured Gnarls Barkley's Cee-lo Green, among other luminaries, and HBO's Entourage recently featured its song "Groundhog Day." The group deserves its success, boasting a stellar live show that incorporates live instruments with the usual DJ-MC combo. Visit Maydayonline.com.

THC Crew: Formerly a trio anchored by the undeniable talent of DJ Mega Mix, one of the best of his profession in the region, the original THC Crew is now but a memory. While the lineup of a couple years ago was undeniably talented, the current one, which features the original DJ and frontman U.B. plus three new members -- Destinee, Chief Elicedes and Colonel Cara'emelo -- brings plenty to the table. The newly evolved group, now known as The Hispanic Connection, could benefit from the Latin-rap buzz generated by Pitbull. Visit Thccrew.com.

Tha Union: Caliba and Ctraffik each put out solo albums a couple of years ago, Xperience and The BumRush respectively. The duo's recent pairing, the single "On Yo Blocc," has sold out online and created regional buzz. Visit Thaunion.com.

Gloria Velez: Perhaps best known as the white-garbed cowgirl in Jay-Z's "Big Pimpin' " video, Velez has also appeared in videos by DMX, Ja Rule and others. But rather than resign herself to playing ho No. 12 in some rapper's video, Velez has stepped behind the mike herself. Her 2004 album, Glory, was overshadowed by a raid of her tour bus that yielded $10 million worth of cocaine. Velez escaped prosecution and is reportedly working on an album, having gained about 118 pounds of flaky, white respect. Visit Myspace.com/officialgloriavelez.

Wrekonize: The battle rapper who gained fame after winning MTV's MC Battle II: The Takeover in Times Square, Wrekonize nevertheless didn't score a promised contract with Jay-Z's Roc-a-Fella Records. With an apology or explanation from Jigga not forthcoming, Wrekonize signed with SouthBeat Records (home to the aforementioned �Mayday!), issued the mix tape The Waiting Room and will reportedly release another CD this year. Visit Wrekonizemusic.com.